CANNABIS ENTHUSIASTS from across the country recently gathered in Wexford in a bid to build a movement to press for change of Ireland’s laws regarding the drug.

The ‘Weedstock’ gathering, hosted by the Irish Church of Cannabis, was just one initiative the active Wexford Cannabis Social Club (WCSC) have been involved with in recent times.

The group welcomed members of other groups from as far afield as Kerry, Donegal and Derry to the county for the occasion.

Members of WCSC, Simon Fergus told this newspaper, are calling for cannabis to be made legally available through cannabis social clubs and off licenses.

“Then we would have more control over who uses the drug,” he said.

The passionate advocate said WCSC members “believe that cannabis prohibition is harmful to children and teenagers because it leaves them exposed to the illegal drug trade”.

This, he said, gives young people “the opportunity to buy drugs from people who don’t ask for ID and also gives them the opportunity to sell drugs themselves.”

Mr. Fergus, however, said he was aware the drug could have harmful effects.

“I can speak from personal experience having smoked cannabis as a teenager that it does have an impact on mental health if used too much,” he said.

Read more in the Wexford Echo.